2019 is a big year for the Oscar Mayer site

MADISON, WISC. (EXCERPTS FROM IBMADISON.COM): The opportunity to reposition the 72-acre former Oscar Mayer site and the surrounding area for the next 100 years is “one of the more important economic development projects that Madison will undertake.”

Several different development opportunities have been identified as part of the city’s Strategic Assessment Report (prepared for the City with the help of Vandewalle & Associates), with more specific details to follow as part of its Phase 2 Special Area Plan. The latter will guide future decisions about subdivisions, zoning, and infrastructure. Digital dynamos, next-generation manufacturing, food manufacturing and distribution, and even another large corporate campus are among the possibilities.

Tom Otto, an economic development specialist for the city of Madison, believes these opportunities align well with what residents want to see. People have expressed a preference for spaces that are welcoming, that positively impact jobs, that are walkable, and that leverage the public market, Dane County Regional Airport, and other nearby amenities. They also covet housing affordability, diverse business ownership and workforce, restaurants and shopping, and multimodal transportation. You can read the full Greater Madison In Business article here.